“If you look at the data really carefully now, we’re not sure but we think that aging can be… we’re slowing it now, we’re doing what we call rejuvenation. Meaning, if you slow the rate of aging by physical activity, by food choices, by stress management, you can probably be 30 years younger than your calendar age at age 55. So, at age 55 you can be functionally 25. But we’re undergoing -there’s a real sense in the aging community- the amount of money in aging research has now logarithmically expanded for about 25 years and that’s beginning to turn the concept of what aging is, the research is, to the point where maybe we can get much younger than our calendar age.” – Dr. Michael Roizen

Michael F. Roizen, MD, is an internist and anesthesiologist who is passionate about helping people choose to live younger and healthier lives.

He is the Chief Wellness Officer at Cleveland Clinic, the co-founder of RealAge Inc, a five-time number one New York Times best-selling author, and the Chief Medical Consultant on the Dr. Oz Show. An accomplished lecturer, researcher, CEO, television personality and author, Dr. Roizen’s myriad achievements are too numerous to count.

Dr. Roizen continues to practice internal medicine, using the RealAge metric to motivate his patients. He routinely sees patients who are in the midst of struggling with tobacco, heart, diabetic or arthritic problems and coaches them with simple (but persistent) lifestyle changes to be able to live, feel, look and be years younger. He really enjoys getting them to throw away their medications when they no longer need them, and teaches the role of food and other simple steps in reversing disease processes.

I had the opportunity to work with Dr. Roizen during my medical school studies, and I was thrilled to catch up with him at his home to talk about the benefits he’s witnessed since Cleveland Clinic implemented an Employee Health Plan, the most important lifestyle factors we can change to improve our overall health and wellness, and his take on What to Eat When.

Bio adapted from ClevelandClinic.org

In this episode we discuss:

How implementing an Employee Health Plan has saved Cleveland Clinic AND employees money, and how the savings continue to multiply as employees get healthier

Dr. Roizen’s thoughts on the challenge of implementing a similar program on a national level, and why he expects we will see it begin at the state level

Dr. Roizen’s background: what sparked his interest in medicine and how he ultimately decided to focus on wellness

If you like this episode, please subscribe to Pursuing Health on iTunes and give it a rating. I’d love to hear your feedback in the comments below and on social media using the hashtag #PursuingHealth. I look forward to bringing you future episodes with inspiring individuals and ideas about health every other Tuesday.

This episode is brought to you by the HealthySelf Reset. Join us for our third annual FREE HealthSelf Reset – a 28 day kickstart to nourishing your body with real food and movement brought to you by Julie, her husband and fellow family and functional medicine physician Dr. Dani Urcuyo, and functional dietitian Brigid Titgemeier.Registration is open now, and the Reset kicks off January 14th!

This episode is also brought to you by TRAIN with Julie Foucher – comprehensive and efficient programming in 60 minutes, 5 days per week. The programming includes warm ups, cool downs, and active recovery sessions written by Matthew Stevens, DPT, pre-programmed timers to keep you on track, and a supportive online community of other busy, high achieving individuals that help one another stay accountable to their training. Sign up before January 14th to get 20% off the monthly subscription fee for ALL of 2019!

Disclaimer: This podcast is meant to share the experiences of various individuals. It does not provide medical advice, and it is not a substitute for advice from your physician or health care professional.

“I wasn’t being present and focused, specifically around the family, that’s where it was most impactful. And, when I looked at my fitness career, I was like, ‘man, the best workouts I get are when I’m against the clock,’ right? That’s really what CrossFit innovated in my opinion, was working out against the clock. Because for so many years we’d go around the gym, do a little bit of this, little bit of that, and it was fine. But as soon as you added the layer of a clock, it added a competitive spirit. So, I started taking that clock to everything I was doing, from doing this with you, to playing with my kids, to being with my wife at dinner. I’m being present, I’m boing focused, I’m working hard in this time frame that I set, and then I switch gears to the next focus. So maybe in the morning, it’s a workout: I’m focused. Then it’s time with the kids. Then it’s this, then it’s that. When I’m at work, be at work, when I’m home be at home. And for anybody who exercises, I just think it’s a really easy analogy for them to think about.” – Jason Khalipa

Jason Khalipa is a decorated CrossFit athlete, well-known for his 8 appearances at the CrossFit Games and multiple podium finishes, including the title of Fittest Man on Earth in 2008. For 7 years, Jason competed as an individual, and in 2015 he shifted his focus to team competition in order to spend more time with his family.

2016 brought even bigger changes for Jason, when his daughter, Ava, was diagnosed with leukemia at the age of four. Together with his wife Ashley, his son Kaden, and their extended family, Jason turned his focus to helping his daughter regain her health, applying many of the lessons he had learned as a CrossFit Games competitor.

Today Ava is cancer-free, and Jason continues to work to find balance in the time spent on his training, his business, and his family. He uses an “AMRAP Mentality” approach, in which he strives to focus solely on the task at hand for a given period of time in order to be fully present and bring his best self to the table.

I had the opportunity to sit down with Jason at his home in California to chat about how his experiences as a competitive athlete, father, and entrepreneur have helped him develop a balanced mindset that empowers him to be the be as successful as possible in all arenas of life.

In this episode we discuss:

The changes in the way Jason is allocating his time now that he’s not training for the CrossFit Games

The transition from training for the Games to where he is now: how Jason knew it was time to move on

Lessons he learned through competing that have carried over into daily life

What it was like to process and overcome his daughter Ava’s leukemia diagnosis, and how that challenge changed him

Ways the healthcare system could better support families dealing with serious illnesses

The importance of building a hedge against adversity through fitness, relationships and finances

Jason’s advice to others on how they can support friends going through difficult times

The origin of the AMRAP Mentality

How he handles distractions and brings himself back to focusing on the task at hand

How Jason determines his “why” and uses that to set his daily agenda

Factors that have helped him to build a successful business

A typical day for Jason

Three things Jason does on a regular basis that have the biggest positive impact on his health

One thing he struggles to implement that could have a big impact on his health

If you like this episode, please subscribe to Pursuing Health on iTunes and give it a rating. I’d love to hear your feedback in the comments below and on social media using the hashtag #PursuingHealth. I look forward to bringing you future episodes with inspiring individuals and ideas about health every other Tuesday.

This episode is brought to you by Thrive Market. By cutting out the middle man, Thrive Market delivers your favorite healthy food and lifestyle products to your doorstep at 25-50% lower cost than you would spend in the grocery store. Visit http://www.thrivemarket.com/ph to receive an exclusive offer from Thrive Market for being a listener of Pursuing Health: 25% off your first order + a free 30 day trial!

This episode is also brought to you by Butcher Box. Butcher Box delivers 100% grass-fed and finished beef, free-range organic chicken, and heritage-breed pork directly to your doorstep, on your schedule. You can order curated or custom boxes of meat, and they always come with recipe ideas for you to explore. Visit butcherbox.com/Julie to receive an exclusive offer for being a listener of Pursuing Health: $20 off your order + a free order of bacon!

Disclaimer: This podcast is meant to share the experiences of various individuals. It does not provide medical advice, and it is not a substitute for advice from your physician or health care professional.

“If you have awareness, and you have this ability to regulate mood states and thinking, you have this mental agility, and then you have this ability to cultivate character and then connect deeply… you really have this life filled with this positive optimism. Hopefulness. That’s incredible, that’s really incredible. That in a nutshell is resilience. I would want everybody to have that kind of intelligence in their life. And apply it to every aspect of their life, whether it be health, or eating, or sleeping, or relationships or career or being an elite athlete, or being a cameraman at a high school game. It doesn’t really matter. The resilience is what’s going to give you that freedom, that real joy in life, that fulfillment that we’re all looking for.” – Dr. Joe Janesz

Joseph Janesz, PhD, is an Associate Staff and Director of the Outpatient Executive and Professional Program at Cleveland Clinic. He has been a Psychotherapist, Clinical Supervisor, lecturer, author and national Consultant for the past 30 years.

Dr. Janesz completed his undergraduate work at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio, and received his PhD degree from Kent State University in Kent, Ohio. His training includes couples and group therapy, performance enhancement and sports psychology, executive coaching and management and organizational consulting.

He consults with a wide range of clients in the medical, legal, financial, sports and entertainment fields and has been a Consultant to the National Football League for the past 20 years and a key player in the first NFL Players Assistance Program — the Cleveland Browns “Inner Circle Program.”

Dr. Janesz played an integral role in my own training as I prepared for the CrossFit Games. It was a pleasure to re-connect with him to learn more about his approach for helping individuals become their own personal best self and how anyone can have a Champion mindset.

*Dr. Janesz’s Bio was adapted from clevelandclinic.org

In this episode we discuss:

What drew Dr. Janesz to psychology

The patient populations he works with, and how he ended up doing this work

The importance of a holistic, team approach in regards to mental health

The common theme that Dr. Janesz sees among high-performers that are struggling

The Third Eye

The importance of balance in all aspects of one’s life

How to implement mindfulness training in your own life

How to cultivate your “yes” brain

The effects on mental health that Dr. Janesz has witnessed as our culture changes

Is it possible to be highly driven to succeed in one arena and still maintain balance in your life

How high-performers can harness their talent and focus on new opportunities after retirement

The Five Hindrances

Ways to find motivation and purpose

What distinguishes true champions from other high-performers

How Dr. Janesz would build a mentally resilient human

Three things Dr. Janesz does on a regular basis that have the biggest positive impact on his health

One thing he struggles to implement that could have a big impact on his health

If you like this episode, please subscribe to Pursuing Health on iTunes and give it a rating. I’d love to hear your feedback in the comments below and on social media using the hashtag #PursuingHealth. I look forward to bringing you future episodes with inspiring individuals and ideas about health every other Tuesday.

This episode is brought to you by Thrive Market. By cutting out the middle man, Thrive Market delivers your favorite healthy food and lifestyle products to your doorstep at 25-50% lower cost than you would spend in the grocery store. Visit http://www.thrivemarket.com/ph to receive an exclusive offer from Thrive Market for being a listener of Pursuing Health: 25% off your first order + a free 30 day trial!

This episode is also brought to you by Butcher Box. Butcher Box delivers 100% grass-fed and finished beef, free-range organic chicken, and heritage-breed pork directly to your doorstep, on your schedule. You can order curated or custom boxes of meat, and they always come with recipe ideas for you to explore. Visit butcherbox.com/Julie to receive an exclusive offer for being a listener of Pursuing Health: $20 off your order + a free order of bacon!

Disclaimer: This podcast is meant to share the experiences of various individuals. It does not provide medical advice, and it is not a substitute for advice from your physician or health care professional.

Can you believe we’re at 100 episodes?! It’s been a slow and steady process over the past 3+ years, but consistency sure pays off! I want to thank all of you from the bottom of my heart for listening and continuing to support me through this shift in my career from CrossFit Games athlete, to medical student, and now soon-to-be family medicine physician.

This podcast has been such a rewarding outlet for me to continue to highlight some amazing individuals in the world and share their stories and discoveries with all of you, in the hopes that their insights might positively impact your lives as well.

I wanted to do something special to celebrate this milestone, and although we have had some INCREDIBLE guests on the show over the past 3 years, it just felt like this was the appropriate time to have a more intimate conversation between me and YOU with a Q+A style episode.

In this episode we discuss:

CrossFit Health and the CFMDL1: what it is, how I’m involved, and how you can get involved

My take on the change in this year’s CrossFit Games format

The need to work towards creative solutions so that low-income patients and patients with serious medical conditions can get involved in CrossFit

Functional Medicine: what it is and how I became exposed to it

Ways students and practitioners can get involved with Functional Medicine

How to incorporate Functional Medicine into a standard medical practice

The power of group visits to make our healthcare model work

How we can take control of our own health and partner with a like-minded practitioner

Making Functional Medicine more financially accessible

My take on finding the healthiest way to eat given the conflicting dietary advice out there

If you like this episode, please subscribe to Pursuing Health on iTunes and give it a rating. I’d love to hear your feedback in the comments below and on social media using the hashtag #PursuingHealth. I look forward to bringing you future episodes with inspiring individuals and ideas about health every other Tuesday.

This episode is brought to you by Thrive Market. By cutting out the middle man, Thrive Market delivers your favorite healthy food and lifestyle products to your doorstep at 25-50% lower cost than you would spend in the grocery store. Visit http://www.thrivemarket.com/ph to receive an exclusive offer from Thrive Market for being a listener of Pursuing Health: 25% off your first order + a free 30 day trial!

This episode is also brought to you by Butcher Box. Butcher Box delivers 100% grass-fed and finished beef, free-range organic chicken, and heritage-breed pork directly to your doorstep, on your schedule. You can order curated or custom boxes of meat, and they always come with recipe ideas for you to explore. Visit butcherbox.com/Julie to receive an exclusive offer for being a listener of Pursuing Health: $20 off your order + a free order of bacon!

Disclaimer: This podcast is meant to share the experiences of various individuals. It does not provide medical advice, and it is not a substitute for advice from your physician or health care professional.

“As a nephrologist, a kidney doctor, in the Mayo Clinic, you see primarily patients with advanced kidney disease at that time. So, these were patients who needed kidney transplants or needed dialysis. And again, the same thinking process started to happen by me, ‘why do we see these patients late on when the damage has been irreversibly done and they need an organ transplant or dialysis when the process started decades before?’” – Dr. Axel Pflueger

Dr. Axel Pflueger serves as the Medical Director of the Center of Comprehensive & Diagnostic Medicine in New York, NY and is a Clinical Instructor at New York University Langone Medical Center. He is a trained cardiac surgeon, board-certified internist, and board-certified nephrologist with a PhD in Pharmacology. He is a Fellow of the American Society of Nephrology and is a recognized international speaker on diabetes and kidney disease, and has an extensive research background in diabetes, kidney disease, vascular function, and oxidative stress.

While working at the Mayo Clinic, Dr. Pflueger conducted multiple treatment trials and gained significant insights into treating patients with chronic diseases. Through his clinical practice, Dr. Pflueger found that the most effective treatment protocols for chronic diseases involved early diagnosis and lifestyle therapy including exercise, diet, and sleep. In 2016, Dr. Pflueger joined CrossFit, Inc. as they launched a global health initiative to fight chronic disease worldwide.

I caught up with Dr. Pflueger at the 2018 CrossFit Health Conference to learn more about his research and clinical findings supporting early intervention as the preferred treatment for chronic diseases, and how he believes conventional medicine and lifestyle therapy can work together to end this global epidemic.

(bio adapted from Center for Comprehensive & Diagnostic Medicine)

In this episode we discuss:

Dr. Pflueger’s diverse medical background and how his residency in cardiovascular surgery led to an interest in early intervention for chronic disease

What prompted him to specialize in nephrology

His preference to treat kidney disease with lifestyle therapy versus dialysis and transplants

If you like this episode, please subscribe to Pursuing Health on iTunes and give it a rating. I’d love to hear your feedback in the comments below and on social media using the hashtag #PursuingHealth. I look forward to bringing you future episodes with inspiring individuals and ideas about health every other Tuesday.

This episode is brought to you by Thrive Market. By cutting out the middle man, Thrive Market delivers your favorite healthy food and lifestyle products to your doorstep at 25-50% lower cost than you would spend in the grocery store. Visit http://www.thrivemarket.com/ph to receive an exclusive offer from Thrive Market for being a listener of Pursuing Health: 25% off your first order + a free 30 day trial!

This episode is also brought to you by Butcher Box. Butcher Box delivers 100% grass-fed and finished beef, free-range organic chicken, and heritage-breed pork directly to your doorstep, on your schedule. You can order curated or custom boxes of meat, and they always come with recipe ideas for you to explore. Visit butcherbox.com/Julie to receive an exclusive offer for being a listener of Pursuing Health: $20 off your order + a free order of bacon!

Disclaimer: This podcast is meant to share the experiences of various individuals. It does not provide medical advice, and it is not a substitute for advice from your physician or health care professional.

“It just got really bad. I honestly don’t really remember that much, but looking back, it’s like ‘man I was sick’… and I can’t say it [competing at the 2016 CrossFit Games] was the healthiest thing to do, but it… CrossFit is what got me through this disease and this transplant, and I couldn’t live without it. So, I just did what I could, of course lighter weights because I weighed 115 pounds. So, lighter weight, I did what I could, and it was definitely hard. There was a lot of crying, a lot of emotions just because I was so used to lifting these weights and going this fast but I couldn’t do that anymore. So that’s when I realized somethings wrong. It’s progressing fast. And it’s a slow disease, but in that last year, it was fast.” – Sydney Sullivan

At the 2015 CrossFit Games, Sydney Sullivan dominated the competition, winning 1st place in 5 out of 6 events in the Girls 14-15 Division, and was crowned the Fittest Teen on Earth. She was also struggling with a serious chronic disease: Type 2 juvenile autoimmune hepatitis.

Diagnosed at age 12, Sydney managed her condition through a combination of healthy diet, CrossFit, and medical care. However, as the 2016 CrossFit Games drew closer, Sydney began losing weight and feeling fatigued as the symptoms of her illness worsened. That year, she would finish a highly respectable 6th place, but Sydney could feel her health declining.

Caught in a catch-22 situation, her health markers were still far “too healthy” to be considered for a traditional deceased-donor liver transplant. At the suggestion of her doctor, her family began the process of finding a donor and a facility for a live-donor transplant. Ultimately, her brother, Tommy, was able to give 60% of his liver to Sydney, and together the two embarked on a slow path to recovery. Today, they work together at his affiliate, Koda Crossfit Tulsa where Sydney is a coach.

I caught up with Sydney at the 2018 CrossFit Games to hear how she managed a chronic illness while being among the world’s fittest and the lessons she learned through her experience that she hopes to share with others.

If you like this episode, please subscribe to Pursuing Health on iTunes and give it a rating. I’d love to hear your feedback in the comments below and on social media using the hashtag #PursuingHealth. I look forward to bringing you future episodes with inspiring individuals and ideas about health every other Tuesday.

This episode is brought to you by Thrive Market. By cutting out the middle man, Thrive Market delivers your favorite healthy food and lifestyle products to your doorstep at 25-50% lower cost than you would spend in the grocery store. Visit http://www.thrivemarket.com/ph to receive an exclusive offer from Thrive Market for being a listener of Pursuing Health: 25% off your first order + a free 30 day trial!

This episode is also brought to you by Butcher Box. Butcher Box delivers 100% grass-fed and finished beef, free-range organic chicken, and heritage-breed pork directly to your doorstep, on your schedule. You can order curated or custom boxes of meat, and they always come with recipe ideas for you to explore. Visit butcherbox.com/Julie to receive an exclusive offer for being a listener of Pursuing Health: $20 off your order + a free order of bacon!

Disclaimer: This podcast is meant to share the experiences of various individuals. It does not provide medical advice, and it is not a substitute for advice from your physician or health care professional.

“I think the biggest thing is that you’ve got to convince people that this is a metabolic disease, it’s a mitochondrial metabolic disease. Ok, so that changes the whole ground– the whole playing field of how are you gonna treat the disease. Because if it’s a metabolic disease, why are you irradiating? Because I gotta stop the tumor growth. Oh, but if I can stop it by taking away the fuels then I don’t need to do that. Now, of course… Ok, so you’re re-labeling what the disease is. And by re-labeling and providing the evidence that this is different than what we thought, and that the gene mutations are really red herrings- they’re epi-phenomena, they’re very little related to what’s going on- well, that’s a difficult pill to swallow.” – Dr. Thomas Seyfried

Thomas Seyfried, PhD is a biochemical geneticist, scientist, and professor at Boston College. For more than 25 years he has taught and conducted research in the fields of neurochemistry, neurogenetics, and cancer. Through his extensive research, Thomas has found evidence that supports the hypothesis that cancer is a metabolic disease as opposed to the mainstream belief that it is genetic in origin. He believes that this fundamental misunderstanding has led to failed treatment and prevention strategies. In his groundbreaking text, Cancer as a Metabolic Disease, Thomas explains the mechanism behind cancer development and metastasis, and he shares the scientific and clinical studies that support this unconventional theory.

I had the opportunity to chat with Dr. Seyfried at the 2018 CrossFit Health Conference in Madison, WI. In one of the most controversial episodes of Pursing Health yet, we discussed his research findings that point to metabolic therapies, including the ketogenic diet, as being an effective way to prevent, manage, and treat cancer.

In this episode we discuss:

How Tom met Greg Glassman and became involved with CrossFit Health

What led Tom to become a scientist, and how he got into his field of research

His realization that the fundamental understanding of the origins of cancer may be wrong

Why he believes the gene therapy approach of treating cancer is wrong

How Tom is challenging others’ views on which cancer therapies are most effective

His belief that eliminating glucose and glutamine are a more effective cancer therapy

The types of cancer that are most metabolically responsive

The concept of press-pulse therapy to treat tumors

Tom’s excitement over the various mechanisms that can be employed to not only treat tumors but chronic diseases as well

The challenge of creating a clinical trial that compares metabolic therapy to traditional cancer therapy

How Tom believes patients can work with their doctors to drive change

An overview of where the field of metabolic research is, and where it’s headed

Three things Tom does on a regular basis that have the biggest positive impact on his health

One thing he struggles to implement that could have a big impact on his health

If you like this episode, please subscribe to Pursuing Health on iTunes and give it a rating. I’d love to hear your feedback in the comments below and on social media using the hashtag #PursuingHealth. I look forward to bringing you future episodes with inspiring individuals and ideas about health every other Tuesday.

This episode is brought to you by Thrive Market. By cutting out the middle man, Thrive Market delivers your favorite healthy food and lifestyle products to your doorstep at 25-50% lower cost than you would spend in the grocery store. Visit http://www.thrivemarket.com/ph to receive an exclusive offer from Thrive Market for being a listener of Pursuing Health: 25% off your first order + a free 30 day trial!

This episode is also brought to you by Butcher Box. Butcher Box delivers 100% grass-fed and finished beef, free-range organic chicken, and heritage-breed pork directly to your doorstep, on your schedule. You can order curated or custom boxes of meat, and they always come with recipe ideas for you to explore. Visit butcherbox.com/Julie to receive an exclusive offer for being a listener of Pursuing Health: $20 off your order + a free order of bacon!

Disclaimer: This podcast is meant to share the experiences of various individuals. It does not provide medical advice, and it is not a substitute for advice from your physician or health care professional.

“I really think there is an opportunity for the CrossFit affiliates to work with the hospitals, and to say, ‘We have a big piece of this puzzle that we can help with. We have the programming, we have the coaches, we have the culture.’ And, my hope is that those gyms can partner with the doctors and they can partner with some of the other larger employers and also with the hospitals that can handle the biometric testing, and just put together that same plan that we’ve already done. And I think it’s not gonna be just one solution and it’s not gonna be just one player that’s gonna make the difference, but I think collectively we all can make a big difference.” – Steve Tenhouse, Kirby Medical Center CEO & owner of CrossFit KMC

As part of an innovative partnership, Kirby Medical Center and CrossFit KMC are working as a team to promote wellness for their employees, their patients, and their local Monticello, Illinois community. Together they are setting an example for how health care can focus on disease prevention rather than just disease treatment.

Kirby Medical Center is a 16-bed acute care hospital and physician group that consistently scores in the top 5% of rural hospitals nationwide for patient satisfaction and employee engagement. They offer a wide variety of wellness services, including food and nutrition services, a wellness trail, and a range of exercise classes through CrossFit KMC.

CrossFit KMC is one of the first CrossFit affiliates to open on a medical center campus. Open to both employees and the community, they play an instrumental role in helping Kirby Medical Center achieve its vision of making their community a healthier place to live.

At the 2018 CrossFit Health Conference, I had the opportunity to sit down with Steve Tenhouse, Kirby Medical Center CEO and affiliate owner of CrossFit KMC, and Josh Newton, the Director of Health and Wellness at Kirby Medical Center and Head Coach of CrossFit KMC. I was excited to learn more about how their partnership began, the lessons they have learned along the way as they’ve built a successful employee wellness program, and how other affiliate owners can partner with local healthcare organizations to promote the shift from sick care to health care.

In this episode, we discuss:

How Steve & Josh got into CrossFit

Background information about KMC and the community they serve

How changing KMC’s vision statement to include a focus on preventative healthcare changed the hospital campus and outlook

The process of opening an affiliate on a hospital campus

The impact of the affiliate on employees and the hospital system as a whole

The trickle-down effect of doctors sharing their passion for exercise with their patients

The framework for KMC’s employee wellness program, and how it has changed over time

The nutritional message KMC dieticians are sharing with participants

How the affiliate works financially within the healthcare system

Their vision for turning their hospital into a place where people can go to become healthier

The data and outcomes they are tracking

Interest from other health care systems

Steve’s personal experience with using CrossFit to help recover from heart surgery, and the importance of prehab

What Steve & Josh think it will take to make the change from sick-care to healthcare

Their advice for affiliate owners in approaching partnerships with healthcare organizations

Three things Steve & Josh do on a regular basis that have the biggest positive impact on their health

One thing they struggle to implement that could have a big impact on their health

If you like this episode, please subscribe to Pursuing Health on iTunes and give it a rating. I’d love to hear your feedback in the comments below and on social media using the hashtag #PursuingHealth. I look forward to bringing you future episodes with inspiring individuals and ideas about health every other Tuesday.

This episode is brought to you by Thrive Market. By cutting out the middle man, Thrive Market delivers your favorite healthy food and lifestyle products to your doorstep at 25-50% lower cost than you would spend in the grocery store. Visit http://www.thrivemarket.com/ph to receive an exclusive offer from Thrive Market for being a listener of Pursuing Health: 25% off your first order + a free 30 day trial!

This episode is also brought to you by Butcher Box. Butcher Box delivers 100% grass-fed and finished beef, free-range organic chicken, and heritage-breed pork directly to your doorstep, on your schedule. You can order curated or custom boxes of meat, and they always come with recipe ideas for you to explore. Visit butcherbox.com/Julie to receive an exclusive offer for being a listener of Pursuing Health: $20 off your order + a free order of bacon!

Disclaimer: This podcast is meant to share the experiences of various individuals. It does not provide medical advice, and it is not a substitute for advice from your physician or health care professional.

EC Synkowski started CrossFit in 2006 to break out of a globo-gym rut, and shortly thereafter she completed her CrossFit Level 1. Her enthusiasm and hard work eventually led to seminar staff and flowmaster positions for the Level 1 and CrossFit Weightlifting courses, a CF-L4 certification, and a career as Training Program Manager with CrossFit, Inc.

In 2017, EC stepped down from her position at CrossFit to focus on finishing her second master’s degree in Human Nutrition and Functional Medicine. From there, she founded her company, OptimizeMe Nutrition, where she focuses on helping individuals understand nutrition physiology and it’s day-to-day application. Her website provides educational resources and tools so that individuals may find their own ideal nutrition program. She is also the founder of the #800gChallenge, an inclusive eating plan that encourages participants to maximize their fruit and vegetable intake and encourages the consumption of whole, unprocessed foods.

EC and I met up in Cleveland to chat about the importance of food quality and quantity, the tips she has to offer to the majority of the population for better nutrition, and to answer listener questions about trending nutrition topics.

In this episode, we discuss:

EC’s background and how she became interested in fitness and nutrition

Her transition to working for CrossFit Seminar Staff

How EC built her nutrition knowledge and experience

The founding of OptimizeMe Nutrition

The best approach to nutrition for 99% of the population

The process EC uses to get clients on the right track

Her thoughts on elimination diets

The importance of food quality, and her approach to the plant vs. animal debate

Tracking macros and finding balance in measuring food quantity

EC’s advice for getting your diet back on track after a setback

Her take on the ketogenic diet trend

The importance of self-experimentation

The #800gChallenge

The role of supplements in a healthy, whole foods diet

Nutrient timing, fasting, and post-workout nutrition

EC’s thoughts on sweeteners

Her thoughts on how cuts can affect hormones

The approach EC recommends for individuals who want to gain mass

Her thoughts on eating late at night

Her favorite resources to learn more

EC’s daily routine

The three things EC does on a regular basis that have the biggest positive impact on her health

One thing she thinks could have a big impact on her health, but that she struggles to implement

If you like this episode, please subscribe to Pursuing Health on iTunes and give it a rating. I’d love to hear your feedback in the comments below and on social media using the hashtag #PursuingHealth. I look forward to bringing you future episodes with inspiring individuals and ideas about health every other Tuesday.

This episode is brought to you by Thrive Market. By cutting out the middle man, Thrive Market delivers your favorite healthy food and lifestyle products to your doorstep at 25-50% lower cost than you would spend in the grocery store. Visit http://www.thrivemarket.com/ph to receive an exclusive offer from Thrive Market for being a listener of Pursuing Health: 25% off your first order + a free 30 day trial!

This episode is also brought to you by Butcher Box. Butcher Box delivers 100% grass-fed and finished beef, free-range organic chicken, and heritage-breed pork directly to your doorstep, on your schedule. You can order curated or custom boxes of meat, and they always come with recipe ideas for you to explore. Visit butcherbox.com/Julie to receive an exclusive offer for being a listener of Pursuing Health: $20 off your order + a free order of bacon!

Disclaimer: This podcast is meant to share the experiences of various individuals. It does not provide medical advice, and it is not a substitute for advice from your physician or health care professional.

“From a young age, I was never put… I wasn’t put on the same platform as just girls, it was everyone. It wasn’t like, ‘Oh you’re the best girl out there,’ it was, ‘How do you be the best, period,’ and stop worrying about the differences, the small differences or the obvious differences, it’s about how to be the best. And so, I just feel like that was just kind of ingrained from a young age… And also, not even just be the best, but, forget it, YOUR best, which could be excessively better than everyone else. You know what I mean? Take it to the limit. Your limit, not someone else’s limit.” – Danica Patrick

Danica Patrick is an athlete, author, television personality, and former professional race car driver who made headlines as the first woman to achieve several landmark victories on the IndyCar circuit and NASCAR. Over the course of her career, she broke gender barriers and was a vocal proponent of pushing her limits to be the best.

I sat down with Danica at the 2018 CrossFit Games to chat about setting new goals after retirement, her experience as a trailblazer, and how she uses a holistic approach to constantly push herself to be her very best.

If you like this episode, please subscribe to Pursuing Health on iTunes and give it a rating. I’d love to hear your feedback in the comments below and on social media using the hashtag #PursuingHealth. I look forward to bringing you future episodes with inspiring individuals and ideas about health every other Tuesday.

This episode is brought to you by Thrive Market. By cutting out the middle man, Thrive Market delivers your favorite healthy food and lifestyle products to your doorstep at 25-50% lower cost than you would spend in the grocery store. Visit http://www.thrivemarket.com/ph to receive an exclusive offer from Thrive Market for being a listener of Pursuing Health: 25% off your first order + a free 30 day trial!

This episode is also brought to you by Butcher Box. Butcher Box delivers 100% grass-fed and finished beef, free-range organic chicken, and heritage-breed pork directly to your doorstep, on your schedule. You can order curated or custom boxes of meat, and they always come with recipe ideas for you to explore. Visit butcherbox.com/Julie to receive an exclusive offer for being a listener of Pursuing Health: $20 off your order + a free order of bacon!

Disclaimer: This podcast is meant to share the experiences of various individuals. It does not provide medical advice, and it is not a substitute for advice from your physician or health care professional.

“You spend your whole life sort of cycling in and out of diets. I was a football player, I’m the kind of guy who gains weight easily. I know what it’s like to have to lose weight and be hungry all the time and to eat small portions of food, and now I’m eating enormous portions… and I’m losing weight. It’s a different phenomenon- trust me… And it doesn’t seem… There’s no sense of restriction, there’s never any time when I’m hungry. There’s never any time when I’m not eating large portions of food. It’s an entirely different phenomenon. It’s as though my body without carbs, and now with intermittent fasting, works like my lean friends’ bodies work all the time. It’s just- you take away the carbs… we’re now kind of similar people.” – Gary Taubes

Gary Taubes is an investigative science and health journalist and co-founder of the non-profit Nutrition Science Initiative (NuSci.org). With a background in physics, Taubes brings a unique perspective to scientific journalism, and takes a special interest in investigating so-called “bad science.” Taubes is the author of several books, including The Case Against Sugar, Why We Get Fat and What to Do About It, and Good Calories, Bad Calories. He is also a contributor to publications such as the New York Times and The Wall Street Journal, and has won numerous awards for his journalism. He lectures extensively about why we get fat, sharing his knowledge about the myths surrounding nutrition and how faulty research has led to poor food choices and an obesity epidemic.

I caught up with Gary at the 2018 CrossFit Health Conference to talk about investigating bad science, nutrition misconceptions, and the importance of self-experimentation to determine which type of diet is healthiest for your body.

If you like this episode, please subscribe to Pursuing Health on iTunes and give it a rating. I’d love to hear your feedback in the comments below and on social media using the hashtag #PursuingHealth. I look forward to bringing you future episodes with inspiring individuals and ideas about health every other Tuesday.

This episode is brought to you by Thrive Market. By cutting out the middle man, Thrive Market delivers your favorite healthy food and lifestyle products to your doorstep at 25-50% lower cost than you would spend in the grocery store. Visit http://www.thrivemarket.com/ph to receive an exclusive offer from Thrive Market for being a listener of Pursuing Health: 25% off your first order + a free 30 day trial!

This episode is also brought to you by Butcher Box. Butcher Box delivers 100% grass-fed and finished beef, free-range organic chicken, and heritage-breed pork directly to your doorstep, on your schedule. You can order curated or custom boxes of meat, and they always come with recipe ideas for you to explore. Visit butcherbox.com/Julie to receive an exclusive offer for being a listener of Pursuing Health: $20 off your order + a free order of bacon!

Disclaimer: This podcast is meant to share the experiences of various individuals. It does not provide medical advice, and it is not a substitute for advice from your physician or health care professional.

“But I really think one thing I’ve learned during this situation is to not sweat the big things or the little things. How important it is. We are so lucky to be here right now. We are fortunate we have our health. We’re here. Don’t get so wrapped up in all the crap. You know when you look at yourself in the mirror, and you’re like, “oh, if I could lose five more pounds,” or “if I could look more like…” or “if I had Julie’s arms…” Or whatever the case. Who cares. None of it, none of it matters. What matters is your friends, your family, the love and support that this community gives us. I relish it. That’s why I was so excited to be here because all I want to do is be around CrossFitters because they’re the best people in the world.” -Bob Harper

Bob Harper has an extensive background as fitness trainer and health expert, 3-time New York Times #1 Best Selling Author, and is perhaps best known for his role as the host of NBC’s The Biggest Loser. In February 2017, Bob suffered a shocking and near-fatal heart attack while exercising, and has since used his experience as a platform to educate others and to advocate for CPR training and AEDs. Following a slow, physician-supervised recovery process, Bob is back to doing CrossFit workouts with the community he loves. You can find him working out, taking black and white photos, or hanging out with his dogs, Karl and Vivian.

For his second LIVE visit to the Pursuing Health podcast, Bob and I sat down at the 2018 CrossFit Games. We discussed how his experiences surrounding his heart attack have changed his life, and how he hopes his story can help others.

In this episode we discuss:

What it’s like to be a well-known trainer, the picture of health, and suffer a heart attack

The symptoms he had leading up to his heart attack

His family history and the Lp(a) cholesterol condition that contributed to his attack

Bob’s memories from the day of his heart attack

The emotions he experienced as he processed the event

The support he’s received from the CrossFit community

Bob’s physical recovery process and the panic he felt surrounding elevating his heart rate again

The changes he’s made to his diet

What Bob’s doctors are monitoring post-heart attack

The importance of having an established, trusting relationship with your physician

How he’s advocating that all gyms have AEDs and CPR certified coaches and members

How Bob hopes his story can influence others

The importance of knowing your family history

The tools Bob used overcome the depression he suffered following his heart attack

How he’s currently modifying his workouts

Bob’s stance on eating meat vs. veganism

The parts of his identity that he’s been able to focus on since his heart attack

If you like this episode, please subscribe to Pursuing Health on iTunes and give it a rating. I’d love to hear your feedback in the comments below and on social media using the hashtag #PursuingHealth. I look forward to bringing you future episodes with inspiring individuals and ideas about health every other Tuesday.

This episode is brought to you by Thrive Market. By cutting out the middle man, Thrive Market delivers your favorite healthy food and lifestyle products to your doorstep at 25-50% lower cost than you would spend in the grocery store. Visit http://www.thrivemarket.com/ph to receive an exclusive offer from Thrive Market for being a listener of Pursuing Health: 25% off your first order + a free 30 day trial!

This episode is also brought to you by Butcher Box. Butcher Box delivers 100% grass-fed and finished beef, free-range organic chicken, and heritage-breed pork directly to your doorstep, on your schedule. You can order curated or custom boxes of meat, and they always come with recipe ideas for you to explore. Visit butcherbox.com/Julie to receive an exclusive offer for being a listener of Pursuing Health: $20 off your order + a free order of bacon!

Disclaimer: This podcast is meant to share the experiences of various individuals. It does not provide medical advice, and it is not a substitute for advice from your physician or health care professional.